Down and dirty fun at Tawasentha Mud Mania

"I am friends with some of the people who organized it, and I'm part of Albany Running Exchange," said VanValen. "So, anything that involves fun and running I'm definitely in for."

Moore said the idea of Mud Mania came from seeing similar events staged across the United States.

"There were several in California and one in Florida, and they all looked like they were fun," said Moore. "I thought it would be a nice community event for us."

Linda Cure, who helped organize Mud Mania, said that the turnout was greater than she expected for a first-year event.

"We thought we'd wind up with 300 runners, and we wound up with over 500," said Cure.

Besides the muddy fun of the Tawasentha course, participants enjoyed live music from October Circle, free swimming in the park's pool, refreshments and a chance to ride in off-road vehicles. There were also pony rides and a playground for children.

Awards were given to the top three finishers in the following divisions: